Is this a fair price?

[cardosor]

I looked at a 0.90 ct., F, VS2 stone.

GIA cert w/ laser inscribed girdle.

The specs...
6 mm diameter
F color
VS2 clarity
Table: 59%
Depth: 64.3%
Med-Thk Girdle
VG polish
G Symm.
Faint flr.

I scoped the stone and the inclusions were two very small crystals in the middle of the stone.

The price the jeweler gave me was $4500 + tax, which included a white gold, four prong setting.

Is this reasonable for a price? Could I do better on size yet stay close above a clean SI-1 and no lower than a G?

The stone is a little deep, but it's very pretty.

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks,
Ric

 

[EdSkinner]

The major conern with this stone is the full depth @64.3%. There will be alot of light leakage in this stone. I think that you could do better. The mounting is a nice throw in but it is just there to tempt you on (it is relatively inexpensive) Keep looking, I think that you can keep the same color, clarity and weight and move up in cut and spend the same amount of money. The price is fair, but on the high side for that cut.

 

[cardosor]

I contacted the jeweler and he is bringing in this:

0.95 ct.
F
SI-1
table 61%
depth 59%
diam: 6.4mm
Price with setting $5000

The table is larger than "ideal", but the depth is within "ideal" regime. It should look closer to a 1 ct. than the previous stone we had discussed (0.90, which looked almost like a 3/4 ct.). How does the price sound for this one???

Thanks in advance for the help. For a first time buyer, this stuff is driving me nuts!

Ric

 

[Mara]

this second stone could be pretty...it sounds like a more shallow spready stone..which should return more white light to your eyes than colored and scintillation.




definitely request a sarin report on the second stone, the crown and pavilion angles are crucial.




can you also ask your jeweler to bring you in a few more comparison stones? why is he only showing you one at a time?




i would request something that IS more typically ideal so you can really compare the stones rather than seeing one at a time. For example..ask for something like a 55-57% table and a 60-61.5% depth with good angles. ask for sarins on those too to have the angles.




good luck!

 

[aljdewey]

I'll just offer my two cents.....I'd sacrifice a bit on the color or clarity to get a better cut. You can drop in clarity and still have a completely eye-clean stone that sparkles MUCH more because it's a better make.




Here's an example:


.90, F, SI1 for $5026....


http://www.goodoldgold.com/0_90ct_f_si1_h%26a.htm


Instead of paying a premium for a VS2 and sacrificing the make, this stone puts the balance where it should be....on the make.




Other choices:


1.05 H, SI1 for $4735 (before PS discount)


http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-629955.htm# The idealscopes on this stone are incredible!




I know you listed F, but if you haven't seen a fine make stone in person, that's why. Getting a better make allows you to drop a bit on color. I own an H, and it's WHITE.




If you're seriously bent on a higher color, this might be an eyeclean option too:


1.02 E, SI2 for $4900 (before PS discount)


http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-629949.htm# - again, beautiful idealscope.




My stone is an SI2, and I cannot see the inclusions in it from 4 inches away....and normal viewing distance is about 12-24 inches. by the way.

 

[valeria101]

I really do not understand all this. The stone clearly do not carry a premium on cut (they are outside any range used as an argument for such a premium), and way expensive.

The setting 'thrown in' is about $100. Who needs it?

If you are not offered the stones to inspect them and make an educated choice, why bother?

The price per carat of a 1 ct F-SI1 could be well below 4500 (example), so the price could stay put and no more excuses (such as shallow cut) needed to make the stone look like a 1ct. While a spready stone could look quite nice, there are many arguments for the H&A range. If all this theory has not been a tad too much already, you may want to look into what made the 'ideal' rounds be called 'ideal ' int he firts place: namely very cisible symmetry and a good balance between fire and brilliance.

The shallow, brilliant but not fiery cut looks great in small pave - where the many small stones are expected to deliver broad flashes of light with movement, but in a large center stone this might not be the undebatable best. Mara got rid of her's...

As long as value does not get awry, it sounds like you could get a better product by inspecting more options than these two.

How about this F-SI1 (1ct) ? A bit above the price mark though. Not sure wether tax applies (depending on shipping).

And a 'dirt cheap' beauty (I hope): 1ct, F-SI1 (EGL), $3700 . The numbers suggest a very nicely cut stone with a wider girdle than one might call 'ideal'. As far as I can guess, an Iscope should reveal good light return on this one. The price already reflects EGL certification, but the color should still be in the range you have mentioned (F-G) regardless of grading 'slackness' and if the stone proves eye clean the SI1 remains an academic issue. Worth inquiring about I guess.


And there could be more where this one came from, I suppose...